Owner-Operator freight trucking in Canada

Freight brokers, carriers, manufacturers, distributors and wholesalers who need goods moved by road.

Paid per load, per kilometre or per mile, or a percentage of the load rate if you lease on to a carrier. Fuel, repairs, insurance and truck payments come out of what you earn.

• Safe long-distance driving
• Route and hours-of-service planning
• Basic bookkeeping and cost tracking
• Negotiating rates with brokers

• Check your provincial rules on commercial vehicle registration and National Safety Code carrier requirements
• Cargo, commercial auto and liability insurance are costly, so get several quotes
• Hours-of-service rules and electronic logging requirements apply, so check the current federal and provincial rules
• Crossing into the US needs extra authority and paperwork, so check this before planning cross-border runs
• Repairs, fuel prices and slow-paying customers can squeeze cash flow, so keep a reserve
• Winter driving conditions and seasonal slowdowns affect income

Startup costs are typically estimated at around $25,000 to $125,000, depending on whether you buy or finance the tractor and trailer, and on insurance and registration. Get several insurance quotes, as cover is costly.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $10,000 to $40,000, depending on loads, rates, distance and whether you lease on to a carrier. Fuel, repairs and slow-paying customers can squeeze cash flow, so keep a reserve.

Check your provincial rules on commercial vehicle registration and National Safety Code carrier requirements, plus current hours-of-service and electronic logging rules. For US runs, check the extra authority and paperwork needed first.